Number 49
by Safe runner
Summary: Earthbenders are disappearing from the streets of Republic city and Bolin has not returned home. Can Mako and Korra find him in time? Can they save him and ultimately all the Earthbenders?
1. Kidnapped

Legend of Korra

Title: Number Forty Nine

Rating: T

Summary: Earthbenders are slowly disapearing from the streets of Republic City, and Bolin hasn't returned yet. Can Mako and Korra save him?

* * *

"Thanks, Mr. Yee!" A smiling Bolin waved to an elderly man as he walked out of the little corner grocery store carrying a paper bag of groceries, Pabu draped over his shoulders absolutely enjoying being outside.

Digging into the bag he pulled out a small pastry and took a bite, "I'm sure Mako would understand if I sampled them... just to make sure they're safe." he grinned as he came up with the reason to justify eating the dessert to his ferret. Pabu gave a small squeal of delight as he was given a small piece, holding it in his paws as he nibbled. Bolin laughed, "Enjoy it. Cause you aren't getting another, you're getting heavy you know?"

It was early in the evening. The lit street lights casted a yellow hue on the sidewalk, which was occupied by a few pedestrians and one homeless man, that made it seem later than it was. Bolin did not notice the big truck speeding up behind him until it was out in front of him and several men in black fategues with black masks quickly jumped out of it.

Bolin raised his hands as his eyes widened. "Whoa! I'm not causing any trouble here-"

Before he could even Earthbend to defend himself, an arm from behind him wrapped around his neck while another held a cloth against his mouth; it smelled of chemicals as he was forced to inhale it. Suddenly Bolin's world went blurry, his eyes half-lidded and glazed, the men turned into black blobs in the haze and the bag of groceries in his hand fell to the ground. He heard Pabu hiss and shriek, then a loud whine of terror moving away from him and a thump against metal.

"N-No! Pabu... " Bolin weakly tried to fend off the black blobs.

He tried to raise his hand and as he did so he felt those infront of him attack him on precise points, he could not bend to defeat his attackers and his strength and coherency were failing him fast. He coughed as the cloth was still being firmly held to his face. His last vision was of being pushed forwards into the back of the truck, the door closing and his vision going dark then his mind was out like a light.

The homeless man crawled over and picked through the abandoned grocery bag, taking what ever was able to be eaten right away without having to be cooked.

**...~**

Korra was there in the practice circle with the young Airbenders when Tenzin returned from the city to Air Temple Island. He looked really stressed as he walked into the court yard and greeted his children and Korra.

"Daddy!" the middle child, Ikki, screamed estatically and ran with the wind on her heels into her father's arms. Meelo, the youngest followed suit while the eldest, Jinora, slowly followed and hugged his robe being too big to be carried.

Korra hung back for a minute before going to greet Tenzin, standing a couple feet away while the children clamoured over their father, "Hey you look awful, that bad of a day at work?"

"Worse, I've been informed by Chief Beifong of something greatly disturbing..." Tenzin's expression looked concerned but mixed with pain. He was watching the world slowly crumble and did not know what to do about it.

"What is it?" Korra pressed him, he wouldn't mention it if it wasn't something she shouldn't know.

Tenzin took a deep breath and continued. "People have been disappearing recently, five in the last three days and those are only the numbers reported to be missing. The Chief said they would not be this concerned if it weren't for the fact that all those missing are Earthbenders..." His voice trailed off as Korra did exactly what he thought she would do, run off past him before he could finish.

Not going after her, Tenzin simply held his children close. As a father he feared for them and their future, growing up in this world becoming ever increasingly chaotic.

**...~**

"Mako!" A shout and loud pounding of a fist at the door startled him out of his sleep. Mako slowly got up from where he normally slept and dragged himself to the door, leaning on the doorframe as he opened it. Groggily, he looked at the young woman who was breathing hard as though she ran the whole way.

"Huh? Korra? Im sorry, but practice is tomorrow..." He said half asleep. He had an exhausting day at the power plant.

"Mako, wake up! Where's Bolin?" She looked serious.

"What? You two got plans or something?" He rubbed his eyes as he now looked visably annoyed. "He went out for groceries, that was-" glancing at the clock and froze. " -hours ago... Damnit!" He cursed and looked back at Korra. "Tell me what you know. Now!"

"Tenzin just told me Earthbenders are going missing." Korra explained quickly as Mako grabbed his coat and scarf from the hook within arms reach. He ran past her and down the hallway. She followed Mako down to the street where he was catching his breath before taking off with Korra hot on his heels. "I came as quickly as I could to warn you guys."

"What? Is it the Equalists?" Mako looked back over his shoulder to her, she was keeping up with him easily.

"I don't know." Korra looked away.

Mako grimaced and bit back a remark, that would not help right now.

"Where does he go to get food," Korra asked hoping to be of some kind of help to him.

"Yee's Market. Its down the street here, not far." Mako said a little winded. His muscles ached from the day's work but he would not stop for anything.

They arrived at Yee's Market just as the old man was pulling the gate closed on his shop as the work day for him was done, looking over his shoulder when he heard the smacking of hurried footsteps on the pavement.

"Mr. Yee!" Mako shouted as he got closer. "Have you seen my brother?"

"Oh, Mako it's you! And a fine lookin' young lady you have here you lucky rascal." Mr. Yee finished locking up the gate and clapped the dirt off his hands. "You mean Bolin? I saw 'im 'bout... three hours ago. Bought the usual set o' groceries fer the week. Left goin' down the street on this side here..." he raised his arm in the direction of where Bolin walked, which was the opposite direction which they came.

"Thanks Mr. Yee!" Mako politely waved as he hurried in the direction that the old man began to point at.

"Why would Bolin be walking away from your place?" Korra said as she waved at the shop owner, following Mako.

"When he wants to take his time getting home," Mako was able to give a short smirk.

"Oh." Korra ran into the back of Mako and grabbed a hold of his frame to keep from falling. She stepped from behind the tall young man, "Hey, what is it?"

Kneeling down next to an empty paper bag, "This..." he picked up a can next to it. "These are my favorite..."

Korra looked at him with a look that she was going to be sick "Olives? Gross."

"Hey! They're really good! Anyways... I asked him to get them for me..." he began to choke a little

Puttng a hand on his shoulder to comfort him, "Hey those could be anyone's you know."

Mako looked back at her and nodded, he then froze as he heard the small whimpers of an animal nearby and the small coaxings of someone. "C'mere uh... kitty kitty kitty... I'm not gonna hurt ya... just boil ya and eat ya... Here kitty kitty.."

A man who appeared to be homeless with a patchy coat, fingerless gloves, shaggy long beard that hid his face and foul smell, trying to lure out a from underneath a satomobile using a dumpling, a black footed Red Panda Ferret, also known as a Fire Ferret. But to Mako and Korra he was known as Pabu.

"Hey!" Mako's hands immediately ignited into flames and leaped towards the man. Before Mako even got a foot, Korra grabbed the back of his coat. She only needed one hand to stop him and pull him back much to his suprise.

"Let me handle this one. You'd burn him up before we get any information."

The homeless man had seen them already and backed away to his little box shelter next to a stoop, his eyes growing big and wide as a pissed off Mako jumped at him. "I wasn't going to hurt the creature, honest!" he closed his eyes awaiting pain.

"We get that." A young lady's voice spoke to him and he opened his eyes to see a beautiful girl crouching on the sidewalk infront of him. "We just want to know if you saw anything earlier, about the person who was with him, the ferret."

He looked away, "I didn't see anything..." he said with a pout.

"Thats fine too if it were true, but you live here right? You have to have seen something? Please?" Korra smiled and it was like the world stopped just for that. Pabu crept from the under the mobile and come to rest on her shoulders.

The man looked back and regretted it as Korra had smiled sweetly, the man groaned. "I only saw the young fella, with the rat-thing there, get snatched up by these guys dressed in black and drive away in a blue truck. Real quick they were... almost didn't catch it."

"And you didn't try to stop them?" Mako growled, he put up his flaming fists.

"Hey! I keep ma' head down out here, only way to survive."

Mako looked away, a painful look of remembering on his face, as his fire went out. "Yeah..."

"Thank you, you've been a big help." Korra smiled and stood. Turning she guided Mako away from the scene.

"W-Wait! Don't I get a reward or something?" The homeless man could be heard as they walked away from him.

"Don't worry Mako, we'll find him..." Korra placed her hand on Mako's shoulder again, feeling it was the right thing to do.

Mako did not even feel her hand, he couldn't feel anything at this point except pain and her words were far away. Even Pabu slinked over onto his shoulders, ringed tail tickling his neck, Mako's eyes remained far away. "I shouldn't have sent him out, I should have known!" he squeezed his eyes shut.

"No way, it's not your fault! You couldn't have known before now."

"But why him? He's done nothing wrong..." Mako opened his eyes, looking to Korra for answers.

"I don't know... why don't we go to the police station to file a report then you can come back with me to the Air Temple... figure out a game plan." She was afraid to leave him alone, he might spend all night searching the whole city and questioning everyone who owned a blue truck which was probably in the hundreds.

Mako shook his head, "I'll go to the police with you, but I want to go back to the loft just in case Bolin shows up..."

Korra nodded, she wasn't going to argue with that, "Then I am going with you." she folded her arms across her chest, a sign that he could not argue with her.

"Fine," Mako did not care to dissuade her. Even he felt he could not deal with this again alone.

There was a crowd at the police station, it took an hour for Mako and Korra to get their turn and then another hour for their report to be competed. It seemed that the station was processing a multitude of claims that night.

Mako passed out on the couch, physically and emotionally exhausted, while Korra stayed up and found some pictures in the paper of the Fire Ferrets latest victory. She eventually fell asleep on the floor where she sat, leaning her head against the couch.

* * *

End chapter one

Tell me what you think and tips are very much appreciated as I am always trying to improve.

Thank you for reading.


	2. You are 49

Chapter Two: You are 49

Enjoy!

* * *

Bolin woke up slowly to find his face planted on a red, thin rug and his hands bound behind his back, blinking as his vision grew less and less blurry. The fog in his mind beginning to clear; sending alarms into his system that he was in serious trouble. He tried to Earthbend but to his shock he could not. _Chiblockers_. They were the only ones who could do this to him.

Feeling a slight chill on his skin, Bolin realized that his shirt, jacket, knee guards, and shoes were missing. He could not help but mumble, "That was my favorite shirt..."

Laying face down on the floor was proving to be a very uncomfortable position and turned his head. Looking about with the eye that wasn't having a meeting with the floor; he found he was in what looked like a small office. It was furnished and decorated with lots of what he would call "rich and fancy" things, though out of all of them the desk looked the most expensive. The office's tacky wallpaper and bookshelves that looked only for decoration had nothing on the huge black desk that loomed over Bolin like a dark cloud. Bolin could not help but stare at it in awe as he thought what kind of a person would need such a huge desk.

Soon Bolin's attention was caught by the sound of incoming footsteps and his heart went into his throat, already beating loudly. Swallowing some of his fear, he timidly called out, "H-Hello?"

Right then two shadows passed in his vision, nearly in the blink of an eye, and Bolin almost jumped out of his skin if it were possible. Without warning, he felt himself being hauled to his feet and the binds around his hands cut. Before he could react to this, he felt a cold touch of metal around his neck. He felt a small puncture in the back of his neck that made him gasp, "Ah!"

A slight numbness traveled from his neck along his arms. Cold bands of steel were placed on his wrists that left his hands tingling; same thing around his ankles. Bolin nervously tried to get a look at his captors but his new neck wear prevented him from moving much without pain, he nervously tried to reason with his captors, "E-Excuse me, but I don't think all this is really necessary..."

"Oh, but it is _very_ necessary." A deep voice interrupted him. Bolin could now hear the thumping of large boots from behind him travel around him until the owner of the voice entered his gaze; coming to a stop behind the black desk.

A huge man with a black armor chestplate that reminded Bolin of the old Fire nation design he saw in a history book. Scars over the left side of the large man's face that stretched from beyond his hairline to down the man's neck made him look fearful and not the type of man you want to cross... or even meet for that matter. This man looked like he belonged on some sort of battle feild and not in an office. However, his presence behind the dark desk made Bolin feel like he was being brought before the judge of hell.

Bolin swallowed hard and decided to try his luck to get some answers, "Where am I? What's going on? Who are you?"

Bolin's questions were brushed off like dust. The man's scared face held a scowl directed at Bolin and proceeded to speak in an almost military fashon. "You will know me as the Warden and address me as _Sir_ or Warden. Is that understood?"

"What?"

"_Is_ that _understood_?" The Warden spoke harder with venom in his voice as his eyes closed to thin slits.

Bolin squeaked, "Y-Yes, sir.

"Your name will no longer be a part of you. It is something of your past, your old life. You will now be known as... number Forty-Nine. Remember that number; your old name is useless now and you will forget it. Do you understand, 49?"

Bolin hesitated, he was even more confused now than before. _Forget_ his name? He stared shocked at the Warden until he quickly realized the Warden was waiting for his answer. "Yes sir..."

The Warden continued as Bolin's gaze turned more and more into confusion than fear. "You should know that you will not be able to bend your way to freedom, that right has been taken from you and only can be used when we say. You try to attempt an escape, there will be dire consequences. You make any sort of trouble, there will be consequences. Do I make myself clear?"

"...Yes, sir." and Bolin could not help but wonder what sort of consequences. Not only that but what kind of fool did they take him for? There was no way in the world someone could control anyones bending. Soon any chiblocking technique they did on him will wear off and he'll get get out of here no problem.

The Warden now looked past him to the guards, barking an order. "Take him to the pits and bring in the next one!"

"Yes sir!" A unison of voices behind him and he was being pulled by the elbows backwards through a doorway. He was able to watch as another man who was missing shirt and shoes be brought into the room, and hear the Warden barking the same orders. Bolin wondered for what had to be the hundredth time, _what is going on here?_ The guards gave him a slight shove and he was turned around to walk forwards, his feet lightly padding on the wooden platform.

Bolin was led down a metal set of winding stairs that was bolted in to a rock wall, one guard in front of him and another behind. The stairs were long and the guards were the only ones with him; he smirked smugly as he felt this was his chance to escape. He held up one of his hands in a wave, "I'm sorry to leave your party so soon, but I have to get back home, so... huh?"

He had tried to Earthbend, moving his other arm in a punch to pull a slab of rock from the wall to knock one of the guards down the stairs but the masked men simply laughed as nothing happened to them. Bolin's eyes went wide with shock and disbelief as he tried again, punching the air at the guard infront of him. Still nothing happened. The guards only snickered louder as Bolin's chest tightened in fear.

"Were you not listening, you stupid? You don't get to do anything until we say so, Earthbender. You should save your strength for the pits." The guard infront of him chuckled.

"What are the pits?" Bolin asked.

"It's where you will be working from now on." The guard simply replied. "Now, shut up."

Bolin fell silent, his gaze found his hands and he frowned concerned. If he couldn't bend he was in serious trouble. He knew he would need it to get out of this mess but what if this was permenant? Fear welled inside his throat, he might not be able to play in the tournament...

"Keep moving!" the guy behnd him pushed Bolin to move faster down the stair and out into the stale air. Bolin coughed at the change of atmosphere.

Outside the office stair, Bolin's jaw hung open as he gazed upon the vast cavern they were in. A wrenching feeing in his gut as he realized this was underground, rock walls on all dimensions and there was even a ceiling with small stalagmites. Illuminated by electric lights, he could see small rock squares that lined the far left side wall that had been hollowed out and made into dwellings, the obvious work of Earthbenders. Before Bolin had the chance to look around the cavern more, he was led though a great opening that seemed half a natural formation and half shaped by Earthbenders. The air was dark and the temperature dropped, making him shiver slightly. When he voiced about his lack of clothes, shoes namely, he got another shove and even a kick in the back.

Through the opening was dimly lit, nearly dark with much less vision, the sudden change in light caused Bolin to stop which caused the guards to kick him forwards, "Hey why's it so dark?"

"Cause what you will be digging for is sensitive to bright light during the first stages of development." A voice came up right beside him. It was gruff, but it had a kindness the guard's voices lacked. Bolin could barely make out the face of the stranger.

"Wait? What? Digging?" Bolin had so many questions for him.

"What are you doing over here? Get back to work!" One of the guards shouted at the new stranger.

"I was getting water from the well, and I am only welcoming the new one, kind sir..." the stranger's voice lowered submissively.

"Fine then, you take him! Show him how things are done around here." and Bolin was shoved to the side into the stranger's awaiting arms. He half expected to knock the stranger to the ground and was shocked when he was caught by a pair of strong arms. At the same time the tingling that he had gotten used to by then had vanished.

"Easy there, you'll injure your feet stumbling around like that," the stranger, a man, said a little too loudly.

Bolin protested as he was gently made to stand straight, "They pushed me!."

"Not so loud, they hear that and you will trip again." The man's voice had a bit more force to it, trying to get a point into Bolin's head.

"I'll show them who tripped..." Bolin muttered earning a chuckle from the man. He could tell the man was not one of the guards cause he hadn't been pushed or shoved yet.

"What is your name?" the stranger asked him.

Bolin was hesitant to answer, remembering the what was said about his name. "Bolin, but they said something about a number back there. Forty-Nine."

"Do not forget your name though they will call you by that number. Your name will be the only thing that is yours and the only thing that will keep you from going insane."

"Uh... yeah, hah like I'd forget my own name." Bolin looked up at the man and squinted, his eyes adjusting to the faint light. "And you are...?"

"I am Oda, of the village of Heshu in the Earth Kingdom. Follow me Bolin, before the guards come back." Oda pulled on his shoulder to guide him in the gloom.

"Oh, thats one of those undeveloped towns huh? Very old fashioned. N-Not that there's anything wrong with that!" Boln ended with a nervous chuckle.

"Yes, it is very "old fashioned"; but we like to think of it as keeping traditions alive." Oda chuckled also, as he made a path by gently moving boulders aside with a soft stroke of his arm.

"Where are we going?" Bolin focused his vision on the path he was being led on, to not trip over any small rocks but failing half the time as he fell to the ground more than once. He felt his toes becoming sore, the bottom of his feet already numb from the hard stone beneath them. "And why did they have to take my shoes." he rubbed his feet to try and get back some feeling.

"To the deep pit, its where we harvest ore for the Warden. And you do not need to worry about your shoes."

Bolin looked at him with an eyebrow raised, "Not sure I follow, cause my feet are sure worrying."

"You will soon find your footwear to have been a hinderance for you..." Oda walked on while Bolin was left dumbfounded by such a bizzare statement.

Oda had directed Bolin to a dead end rock wall that had one of the few dim light bulbs. Bolin could see Oda's face, covered in dirt and a grey beard that did not go an inch past his chin. Oda placed both of his hands on the wall, "Watch me, feel for the small cracks clay in the stone, thats where the ore is supposed to be found."

Bolins eyes widened as the older man felt the wall and then seemed to sink his hands into the rock, then scrape away a top layer. The layer that came off the surface crumbled into an already exhisting pile of rubble, which Bolin began to notice was being lifted into carts by other Earthbenders. They, he and Oda, were not alone and he took some comfort in that. When the carts were full, the Earthbenders stomped the ground and the carts moved along a track. The carts were quickly replaced with empty ones and Bolin wondered where those carts ended up at.

"Your shackles are inactive, have been since the guards left you with me. Why don't you give it a try?" Oda backed away from the wall.

"No." Bolin crossed his arms.

"What?"

"I said no. I don't know what's going here, but I have no intention of doing any sort of work for these guys who come out of nowhere and kidnap me."

Oda simply shook his head, "Many think that way when they first arrive, they think differently when they are punished for not working."

Bolin paused; he wasn't one to provoke punishment and his gazed turned to the ground, perhaps hoping to find all the answers to all the questions in his head written in the dirt. In the end he figured he should give it a shot rather than find out what kind of consequences would happen if he did not comply. He placed his hands on the cold rock surface just as Oda had done, using his Earthbending to scrape at the rock. He felt good having his Earthbending back though the way he was using it was far from Pro-Bending as it could possibly get. It was like digging at dirt with just your hands. Except this was solid rock and clay, and using Earthbending to make "digging" possible. He went at a slow pace trying to get the hang of it; while he toiled at the wall he tried to understand the meaning behind all of this.

"Mmm, close enough. You'll get used to it as time goes on." Oda nodded his approval of Bolin's progress and went to work along side him.

Bolin had no intentions of ever getting used to it. He concentrated on the new work, sweat already beaded his brow as this took a lot more effort than it looked, "Why are we here exactly? I mean I get that we are prisoners, and that we are supposed to dig... but why?"

"I have wondered that myself; it is the ore they are after. We are just the pawns." Oda kept a faster pace than Bolin and showed no signs of slowing.

"What kind of ore is it?" Bolin had to take a break to rub his hands which were quickly becoming as sore as his feet. His lips tightened as he found the shackles on his wrists chaffing a little.

"I do not know. All that I do know is that it is sensitive to light and that it can grow. It is very rare and even in the time I have been here, there have only been a few grains I've uncovered; however, I have never seen it." Oda turned his gaze to Bolin though his pace did not waver.

"How did you know you found some if you've never seen it?"

Oda raised an eyebrow as though he had not considered that question to be asked, "I never knew. However, the guards and the Warden always seem to know."

"Interesting..." Bolin raised his hand to his chin.

"Indeed it was."

Bolin heard footsteps and quickly went back to the wall with his hands on it and relaxed when it wasn't a masked guard. His gaze went back to the other Earthbenders that he could tell were around, "How many people are there here?"

"If I remember correctly, you said you were number Forty-Nine... then that would mean there are at present 49 of us here. A large increase over the years for certain..." Oda mused.

Bolin's eyes widened, 49 people held here against their will? Well actually Oda seemed almost content in his current situation... _wait... over the years_?

"Oda... just how long have you been here?" Bolin gave him a questioning look.

"I had been given the number Seven." Oda stopped in mid dig, his eyes narrowed in sorrow. "My children were young tots when we were taken, now they are fully grown. It was fortunate... and unfortunate, that my family had been taken with me, they are Earthbenders as well." and he went back to to the wall, working harder than before.

"Where do they come from? From Republic City?" Bolin stepped away from the wall and sat on a nearby rock.

"Many here are from the villages in the Earth Kingdom, Earthbenders all of us. Recently many have been coming in from the city, and so rapidly. Never have I seen such a boom in this population before; never so many arrivals in such a short time." Oda answered without stopping his work.

"Wow..." Bolin's mouth hung open slightly as he realized just how long Oda had been a prisoner here. "Must be nice to have your family with you. My brother must worried about me by now..."

"I am sorry..." was all Oda could say, it was all he could really offer. "Work now Bolin, before a guard comes around." and the older man fell silent. Bolin could hear nothing save for the sounds of the digging of him and others in the cavern.

Bolin was left to his thoughts as he continued his slow working on the layers of the wall. If the bad guys here were the Equalists, then the organization was older than anyone ever thought. But didn't the Equalists want to rid the world of benders? Why would they go through so much trouble to control a bunch of Earthbenders to dig up some rare growing ore?

His thoughts flickered then over his brother and how Mako had saved him from the Equalists last time; Bolin could not help but feel that it was all up to himself this time to get out of this mess. If he only knew how...

* * *

end chapter 2

Tell me what you think

Tips are always appreciated as I am always trying to improve. (Let me know if there are mistakes here)

Thanks for reading. You guys are awesome by the way.


	3. Pain

Chapter 3

#49

* * *

Bolin's hands felt extremely sore as he sat down on the dirt floor and rested for the nth time. He looked up at Oda, who had only taken a break once since he had shown him how to dig, and wondered if the man's stamina was from the multitude of years of digging in these mines. His gaze then moved over the Earthbenders moving the carts back and forth and wondered if he could switch places with them. Bolin sighed, he would probably have to work on their techniques too. He used his Earthbending almost always for Pro-Bending, hardly for self-defense and rarely for anything else. This sudden change of routine was really jarring.

Sitting, rubbing his hands and catching his breath, Bolin gratefully accepted a laddle of water from a man who came by with a pail. He was savoring the few gulps of water when, even in the gloom, a shadow cast over him. Looking up, he gulped as a guard stood in front of him.

Bolin had not heard the guard coming cause of the noise of other workers around him and even Oda looked suprised when the masked man had approached them. The man held a metal baton that resembled the electric sticks of the Equalists, which convinced Bolin more and more that these guys were part of some sort of Equalist faction.

"What're you doing sitting around? Get back to work!" The guard yelled as he tapped the end of the baton into the palm of his other hand. It made a hollow sound everytime it smacked the glove.

"I'm resting, geez. I'll have you know this is difficult to do!" Bolin looked up at the guard, a frown on his face.

Oda looked away, even more focused on his work.

The guard poked the baton in Bolin's face, taking a glance at the number on etched on the back of the metal collar. "Watch your mouth... 49. Now get back to work before something really bad happens."

Bolin's eyes narrowed to the baton in front of his nose and smirked, "Alright, alright, I'm getting back to work." Bolin began to get back on his feet.

"Not fast enough!" The guard pushed a button in the handle of the baton. Bolin had expected the stick to electrify, but instead he suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck and in his wrists and ankles. Within seconds he was writhing and jerking uncontrolably, he felt as though all of his skin was on fire and burning him alive. The guard's expression was hidden by his mask but from the chuckles that eminated from underneath the mask; he was enjoying torturing the young man.

"AAAHHH!" His agonizing scream echoed through the underground cavern. The man pushed the button again and the pain stopped but Bolin's body continued to twitch as he fell in a crumpled heap on the ground, unconcious.

"You there! Take this piece of dirt to one of those ratholes you call homes." The cruel guard pointed to Oda, who had worked busily at the wall all through Bolin's torture.

Oda did as he was told, his face expressionless as smooth stone, picking up Bolin's body and slung him over his broad shoulders. The man proceeded to bring him out of the cavern just as a whistle blew and the other workers started to do the same.

**...~**

Mako and Korra took to the streets early, before the crack of dawn, that next morning; each armed with a recent photo of the trio at their last Pro-Bending match. They split up and asked anyone who would listen or even stop to talk with them.

Korra walked up to a fruit stand owner, holding out the news clipping and pointed to Bolin in the picture, "Excuse me sir, have you seen him? He usually wears a green jacket..."

"Yeah, I've seen him." The stand owner replied, lifting his visor to get a better look.

Korra leaned in excitedly. "Where?"

"At last weeks match of course! Those Ferrets are a favorite this year." The shop owner chuckled. Korra stormed away as it was all she could do to not flip the guy's cart over.

The next person she asked was an old lady on the sidewalk, "Have you seen him ma'am? I mean recently, like today at someplace? He's normally wearing a green jacket and... he's an Earthbender..." she hoped she was not talking to an Equalist supporter.

the old lady slowly shook her head "Hm... sorry young lady, I haven't seen this young man around here today. But you know... my grandughter's fiancee has gone missing, he's an Earthbender too. I must be going, my pets worry when my walks take too long. I hope you find your friend well..." The old lady bowed and slowly went on her way.

"Take care..." Korra bowed as well. She sighed and continued to ask passerbys about her friend, but not many people knew anything though the Equalists came up in mention a few times.

Mako did not fare any better in getting any leads.

Standing in the square, holding out the clipping, most passerbys would not give him the time of day. He was either waved off or ignored and was even handed a Yuan or two, being mistaken for a beggar. He asked everyone he could, desperate for information.

"Excuse me have you seen him?"

"No, sorry."

"Hey, have you seen my brother anywhere?"

"Nope, sorry Mako."

Mako pleaded, "Please look at this photo, have you seen him?"

Over and over the answers were.

"No."

"No, sorry."

"Nope, haven't seen him."

"Sorry."

It made Mako furious that no one knew anything.

By lunch, Mako met up with Korra back at the park, slumped over on the rim of the park fountain with her head in her hands she looked like she had just as much luck as he did. But Mako still looked to her with hope, "Korra?"

She shook her head, "Nothing, no one knows a god damn thing."

Mako clenched his fist, "Damnit..." he cursed as he sat down on the fountain next to her.

Korra breathed in, much like Tenzin was always trying to teach her, and noticed something strange. It was midday and yet the park was silent. Shouldn't there be an annoying guy with a megaphone somewhere about? Korra's eyes widened, they had met up at the park to question the Equalist that took up his screeching stage at the park. But he was no where to be seen, she frowned. "Mako, that Equalist guy isn't here..."

"What?" Mako looked around quickly and growled under his breath. "Grrr... what do we do now?"

Korra had sort of counted on the loud ape looking man to be blabbing about some sort of plans the group had here. She did not like how things were turning out so far. Mako noticed a park officer approach them and nudged Korra. She tensed up a bit at first but relaxed when she realized that for once they were not doing anything that would seriously get them in trouble.

"Excuse me, you are not allowed to sit on the fountain." The officer warned them when he stopped in front of the two.

Korra and Mako both stood up immediately, "Sorry!"

"Thank you." and the officer began to walk away.

Korra started after the officer, "Uh, Wait! Excuse me officer.. but you wouldn't happen to know what happened to the activist thats usually here in the park?"

The officer turned around to face her and adjusted his cap. "Their permits expired. Cannot occupy the park, or anywhere for that matter, without a permit. If they follow all the correct procedures then they will have their permits renewed in two weeks."

"Do you know where they would go in the mean time?"

"No ma'am."

"Oh..." Korra bit her her bottom lip to keep her emotions in check. "...Thank you sir."

"G'day ma'am." The officer tipped his hat and continued his patrol.

Korra turned back to Mako who sat right back on the rim of the fountain; his hands holding the back of his head and his face staring at the ground.

She sighed then looked to him, "We can try the street gangs, see if they know anything...?" That and it was a good way to let off some steam.

Mako was silent. They were no where near finding Bolin and wasting time that his brother might not even have coming up with stupid ideas. Suddenly he felt his chest tighten even more and his breathing begin to quicken. It was an overwhelming feeling of anxiety he could not describe and he held his chest almost afraid that his heart would beat right out of his chest.

"Mako?" Korra looked at him with concern.

"I... I'm fine..." He inhaled quickly.

"You don't look okay."

"I'm fine." Mako stood up as he calmed down. He brushed it off as though it were nothing but he had a bad feeling deep down something was wrong.

Korra growled inwardly at him not believing, but the guy was so stubborn sometimes that there were those times that she had to let it go. Crossing her arms across her chest, "You have a plan, team captain?"

Mako remained silent for a while, brooding on what would it take to find Bolin. Korra sighed, "Alright... lets go over what we know so far..."

"What? Bolin's in trouble, nothing more to it than that!" Mako's frustration on not being able to find the solution this time showed through.

Korra's eyes lit up brightly, "Not really, Mako. Bolin wasn't the only one taken, remember all those people at the station? And a few people I talked to also had friends and family missing. They're all Earthbenders..." Her lips formed a wicked grin as an idea popped into her head.

"So?" Mako looked at her, wishing she would just come out and say it.

"So... I know how we are going to find Bolin, c'mon!" She grabbed Mako by the arm and pulled him as she ran.

"Wait! Where are we going? !" Mako's eyes were wide as Korra pulled him along so easily like a ragdoll.

Korra winked at him. "Back to your place, we're going to need disguises...I'll explain on the way!"

* * *

End chapter 3

Tell me what you think and tips are always appreciated as I am always trying to improve.

Next chapter may take a week longer to put up. Sorry folks.


	4. Grey goop

Chapter 4

LOK

#49

* * *

Bolin groaned as he awoke on the stone floor and his muscles screaming at him as he slowly sat up. This was a feeling worse than anything he's ever felt, even after training. What had they done to him? That guard activated some sort of device... the shackles! Bolin tried to pull the metal straps off his wrists but was met with a stinging pain. Not only were they securely bolted, they seemed to have dug some sort of spike into his skin. Then he tried to bend, and he could not again. What the hell did they do to him?

Sighing in defeat, Bolin looked around. He was in a small stone room that had a doorway that was open to brightly lit chamber. He relaxed a little, more than happy to be out of the pits and into a well lit area.

"Ah, you are awake." Oda's voice came to him and a frame came into view in the doorway. With the new light, Bolin noticed the guy was more muscular and much taller than he was.

"Oda?"

"Are you hungry, friend?" A pair of hands passed a wooden bowl of what looked like grey goop to Oda.

"Oda, what happened? And now that you mention it... I am pretty hungry." Bolin eagerly patted his stomach.

Oda's expression turned grimm "You were punished by one of the more... malevolent of the guards. There was nothing I could do to stop him, you are only lucky the work hours were coming to an end." He passed Bolin the bowl.

When Bolin recieved the bowl he was fairly disappointed and poked his finger at the grey glob; his eye twitched slightly when it jiggled. "Uh... what is this?"

"It has all the necessary supplements, protiens, and vitamins a growing Earthbender needs." Oda answered very quickly and casually, raising an eyebrow at Bolin's disliking for the substance.

Bolin looked up at him. "And you have this everyday?"

"Yes." Oda answered in a matter-of-fact way.

"That explains a lot..." Bolin had stuck his finger into the goop and attempted to scoop it. He supposed he would have to get used to it too... only for a little while til he can come up with a plan or have the opportunity to escape. He would then come back and save Oda from the horrors of eating this slop. "You wouldn't happen to have a spoon would you?"

"They limit us on metal objects, they are wary of us concealing them to use as weapons." Oda explained. "There have been... incidents..."

"Of Metalbending?"

"Something like that..."

"So people have tried to escape?" Bolin managed to scoop with his fingers a bit of slop into his mouth, but then it spills back out into the bowl. The goop tasted as horrible as it looked.

"Or start riots. But the Warden quickly brings them under control... It helps if you close your eyes and think of something else." Oda chuckled. "And when you are done you should come join us for the circle. Are you able to walk?"

"I think so..." Bolin flexed his toes. "What is the circle?"

"A gathering of all who are here." Oda held a small smile. "We've prepared a small welcome for those who've arrived."

"Oh... um... sure I'll be there." Bolin looked back to the bowl. He was unsure he wanted to be welcomed to a place he did not want to be. Oda had done a lot in kindness towards him, but it did not change the fact that he missed his brother and Pabu, he missed training and hanging out with Korra, he missed his home in the attic of the Pro-Bending arena.

He swirled the slop around on his finger and sucked on it thoughtfully. Oda was right, if you were thinking of other things the goop did not taste so bad... though he could swear it tasted of salty tears.

As he ate, Bolin felt an unusual sense of elation overcome him, he felt really relaxed and the food started not to taste half bad.

Bolin finished the bowl and though he was still hungry, he wasn't so eager to ask for seconds. He dragged himself so his back was against the wall, using it as leverage as he used his legs to push himself up. Leaning on the wall, he struggled to stand as his nerves were stinging like a bunch of needle points. He inhaled as the pain lessened and soon he could stand on his own. Gripping both sides of the doorway, Bolin stuck his head out into the light.

His mouth hung open a little as he realized he was in the larger cavern where he saw those dwellings before... and it looked like he was in one of them. He turned his head to look around, noticing the collar no longer inhibited his movements as much as it did when it was first put on. His attention is then grabbed by people walking past him, they seemed worn out and tired but walked as though where they were going now was the most important thing in the world to them.

He follows them, coming to a large circle clearing in the center of the underground town. The others sat around the smoothed stone center that had a diameter of at least 30 feet in Bolin's estimation; with a tall man in the middle who he recognized quickly as Oda.

"My brothers and sisters, my friends, the time has come to welcome those who've just arrived into our family." Oda's voice, though gruff, had the vibrance that made Bolin realize this was a very important moment, and he was apart of it. His fingers began to fidget nervously. He did not want to disappoint Oda even though they had just met, the older man had done a lot to make him feel welcome. He just wanted to go home...

"Gaiko... Bolin... Please enter the circle."

Suddenly, Bolin felt himself stumble forwards; he was pushed from behind into the circle. He careened into another person in the circle, a young man who looked a little older than him and was also missing a shirt. In fact most of the men around the circle were shirtless just like Bolin, the only people who wore any upper clothing were either women or looked even oder than Oda.

Bolin raised his hand to the young man, appologeticly, "Uhm... Hey."

"H-Hey..." the guy sounded scared and just as nervous as Bolin, "You're the guy that they... they punished... earlier. What was it they did to you... Bolin is it?"

Bolin glanced to the side, trying to recall what went on as he was being tortured by the guard, "I'm not sure what they did... but it hurt like hell."

The other guy, Gaiko, looked like he had gone pale in the light. Oda leaned over Gaiko's shoulder and said a few words to him, then raised his right hand over the guy. Bolin wondered if Oda was some sort of leader here...

Suddenly, Bolin felt a firm hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts, and he looked up to meet Oda's prideful face.

"Welcome to the family, Bolin." He grinned at the younger man as he raised his left hand over Bolin's head.

Oda then spoke to the crowd again, "Let these two be welcome in our circle!"

Then the cave errupted with cheers, and to Bolin they seemed happy for being prisoners... and he could not understand why...

A sound of drumming could be heard and then people started to clap as many of the younger people started to dance. Beside him, Gaiko moved away to sit on the side. It was obvious he was just as confused as Bolin.

"I am also proud to annouce my daughter's engagement!" Oda's voice boomed over the noise and the crowd cheered louder. No wonder his face was beaming when Bolin saw him. The more of the crowd seemed to dance. It seemed primal, the dancing, just letting loose Bolin supposed. The faces of the people caught glimpses of were grinning from ear to ear.

A little _too_ happy as prisoners in Bolin's opinion.

* * *

End chapter 4

You know what to do!

(note: this had not been beta read so there may be some spelling errors)


	5. The Avatar

Chapter 5

LOK

#49

* * *

Bolin could not remember the last time he had so any pats on the back in one evening, so many who wanted him to sit with them. He was forced to choose when an elderly woman took him by the arm and dragged his body to the other side of the circle to sit with the more elderly folk. He began to laugh when one of the elderly men started to tell jokes and Bolin even told some of his own. He told stories of the victories at the Pro-bending arena, which captivated those that started to gather around him. By by electric light he could see elderly, middle, and even teens, each with their own collars and shackles. Located on the back of those collars, he observed some sort of discoloration of the metal... He wondered for a minute what that meant until he felt a small tug on his pants leg.

His eyes of green met the eyes of the same color in a small child. This was the first child he had seen and he was taken by surprise when the child spoke...

"Mooore prwese..." The girl child was too young to pronouce the syllables in "please". She only wore a large shirt that draped to her little toes which she awkwardly balanced on the tip of to get closer. She repeated again, "Prweese?"

The child was then called back by a man, presumably her father, "Iya come back here! Do not trouble the man." and she left Bolin's side.

Bolin could not help but say with a mushy smile, "Aww, It's perfectly alright. Okay kiddo, for you I'll tell you how I teamed up with the Avatar to defeat the fearsome Wolfbats!" He pumped his fist in the air.

He was so excited about telling a story about the championship, a version where their team won, that he did not notice the crowd go silent. But as he started his tale, he did not get very far into it when the audience started to buzz with a new topic. Many of them started to whisper to each other and even ask out loud...

"You know the Avatar?"

"Tell us! Is he good?"

"Is Avatar Aang still alive?"

"Where is this Avatar from?"

Bolin was frozen in place by so many questions about the Avater, he decided to start with... "The Avatar is a _she_..."

**...~**

Korra fixed the area of the shirt that started to hike up next to her bust line for the fifth time that hour... she started to grumble a little.

They had waited til the evening to put the plan into motion. While Mako was dressed in one of his brother's green jackets and seemed fine; Korra on the other hand had on one of Bolin's green shirts and used a green sash to tie the loose sides close to her waist, but she looked and felt extremely awkward with the over-sized sleeves and, not that she cared that much, her water tribe pants were not exactly green. Her hairstyle changed to try to look more like the style of an Earthbender, so it was held back in a braid which Mako helped her do; it looked very catastrophic with bunches of loose hair coming from all sides.

The idea was to disguise themselves as Earthbenders and hopefully get confronted by the kidnappers. They would be out at this all night and every night if they had to; what ever it takes to get to Bolin.

The sun was setting behind the skyline of the buildngs and already the streets were lit by the yellow glow of the street lamps. They walked near the park, up and down the street together. A few hours went by and nothing; even as the park cleared out, there was no sign of anyone who looked like they could take a couple of earthbenders.

"Nothing's happening..." Korra growled.

"Do some earthbending, stupid. We have to show them we're earthbenders remember?"

"I'll show you stupid..." Korra growled even more as she stomped the ground and Mako tripped over a small slab of rock that popped out of the ground. She laughed as he flipped to avoid falling on his face, he rolled to his feet. _He's really agile,_ Korra mused, for Pro-bending of course...

"_That_ was not funny." Mako gently brushed off some dirt.

Korra smirked, "Oh _yes_ it was." she hoped anything would get his mind off of the situation... they can't look like they're looking for trouble.

"Stop messing around..." Mako trailed off as he tensed.

Korra felt the tension and went into a battle ready stance, "What is it?"

"I thought I saw some movement behind the bushes..."

"Could be a homeless guy..."

"Could be the kidnappers..." Mako countered as he ran to the bushes.

"Remember let me do all the bending..." Korra whispered.

Immediately a dark figure sprang out of the bushes and leapt at him while Korra was suddenly surrounded by dark figures who stayed out of the lamp light. Mako leapt over the one who launched at him and rolled while the enemy did the same as both got to their feet.

"You should not be prancing around in that get-up. You might get taken..." a furious voice spoke to her...

_No_.. it _can't_ be... it sounded familiar but she did not want it to be true...

Korra kicked up a hunk of earth that hurled it angrily at some of the figures that surrounded her and a few dodged while one got hit in the gut.

The figures stepped out of the dark just as Mako caught his guy in a headlock.

"White Lotus guards?" Mako said surprised just as the guard he had in his grip, elbows his chin "Ow!"

The guard, Howl, struggled more; being the distraction to keep Mako from helping Korra.

"Damnit!" Korra's fists clenched in anger and growled at the squad leader, "What? ! Did Tenzin change his mind about me helping save my friend?"

"No. We don't need to take orders from him to protect the Avatar. You are going back to Air Temple Island where you will be safe guarded until this crisis is over... the Equalists will not take you from there. And I am sure once Tenzin knows of what you tried to do, he would agree wth the proper- "

"No!" Korra shouted, cutting the Lotus squad leader off, as she struggled as the lotus guards closed in around her. "We need to find Bolin! You can't! I wont-!"

"We thought you might say that..." and cables shot out from seemingly nowhere. "We enlisted the help of the Peace corps, a few of Beifong's metal bending officers."

"It might not be the Equa- Ngh!" She was cut off by the force of the cable wrapping around her chest.

Then more cables wrapped around Korra before she could even react; she could not break free. She tried to kick up some firebendng but her legs were caught by cable before she could.

She was being kidnapped alright... but not by the right people she wanted to be kidnapped by!

Meanwhile, Mako and Howl managed to push each other away, and stopped fighting long enough to see Korra being taken away the lotus guards, "Mako! We'll get your bother back! I promise!" she could be heard shouting. They were the same words as the last time Bolin was taken... they struck Mako inside.

"Korra!" Mako shouted back, but she was out of range by then.

Turing to Mako, Howl spoke, "You should go back to your home..." and he ran after them while Mako was left standing next to the bush.

Alone.

* * *

End chapter 5

Tell me what you think and advice and tips are greatly appreciated as I am always trying to improve!

This also has not been beta'd and so there may be some mistakes in spelling.


	6. 3 Days

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own most of the characters featured in this story.

#49

* * *

_"The Avatar... is a she."_

Bolin was shocked at the reaction from some of the older prisoners, his eyes widening when the elderly woman who brought him into the group began to speak

"The last time I saw the Avatar... I was much younger then." She introduced herself to him earlier as Yun. "He was so handsome... well I was a young lady then..." with a warm chuckle as she remembered.

"Wait... just how long have you been here?" Bolin asked as he leaned in to hear her soft voice answer.

"Sonny, I was designated number One. I just celebrated my 27th birthday when I was taken..."

Bolin barely had time to process what she just said when a buzzer sounded and the lights gradually dimmed. Hurriedly, the captives started towards their homes.

"Hey! Wait... why is everyone leaving?" Bolin asked to the crowd. He did not get an answer, everyone was too busy trying to get away.

Oda came up behind him and clasped his shoulder, "This way Bolin. Your home is this way."

Bolin wanted to tell him right then that this wasn't his home, but that guilty feeling arose in his gut and kept his mouth shut again.

The larger man leads him back to the hut he woke up in, "There will be a five minute opportunity to seal the doorway..."

"With what? My bending's gone remember?"

Oda points to a large slab of rock inside the hut leaning on the wall near the doorway. It was round and larger than the door, it obviously had been formed using earthbending "You use that... make sure there are no cracks or they will break it."

Bolin stared at him, an uneasy and almost frightened look on his face, "Wait... what? Who will break it... the guards? Do they patrol at night?"

"No. Even they do not face the creatures that come out here when the lights go down..." Both men looked up as the lights were dimming even more and Oda looked down to him. "I must leave now. Seal the door quickly."

He was gone before Bolin could ask any more questions. He swallowed what moisture he had in his mouth and sat in his hut... in the dark... alone.

Suddenly, a shrill noise filled the cave. It sounded like a mulititude of satomobile alarms going off except more beastly and in unison. Bolin jumped with a slight squeal, something in his brain telling him he should have taken care of the door. He quickly threw his weight and strength against the round stone, moving it inch by inch as the snarls got closer. He shook with fear as he desperately fought to move the slab. It was heavier than anything he had ever moved before, most likely made of more than mere stone but he did not care to guess. What mattered most at the moment was sealing the door so he would not be eaten by what ever monsters out there and coming his way.

"C'monC'monC'mon!" He grunted with urgency as his eyes caught the shadows of creatures quickly moving towards his halfway open door.

Within seconds the doorway was covered with every crack sealed from the dangers outside; and not a moment to soon because he heard scratching and growling of dozens of menacing creatures on the other side. In the darkness of his hut, Bolin curled up on the floor wide eyed, even sucking his thumb and rocking back and forth with barely a whimper. He eventually sobbed, holding his mouth to stifle the sound, as the creatures seemed to scratch at the walls of his box more fervently than before. The growling instilled a fear in him like he never felt before.

He desperately wished Mako was there with him. His brother protected them when they were little and his firebending would be useful right about now. That, and he needed his brother's comfort now more than ever. He shivered, in tears from the fear when a soul shaking roar let out ony a few meters away outside. He never wanted to hear such a horrible sound again.

That was the most terrifying night of his life, next to the first night alone away from his brother since they lost their parents. After that night, anything else seemed like a pushover in comparison. Except for the next night... and the night after that...

The next morning,

Oda came to get him for the next work shift. He moved the slab of rock using his own strength with little effort. His eyes found Bolin unmoving, his knees tucked up to his chin in the fetal position, in a corner of the small hut and feared he may have suffocated during the night until Bolin's eyes twitched from the sudden light.

"Mako...Huh, what? Oh..." Bolin stirred and awoke. He struggled for a minute, having forgotten where he was. It was all a dream being back home with his brother, doing laundry of all things. He had woken up still thinking he was with Mako... and now he terribly wished this was one dream he would soon wake up from...

The sound of a whistle interrupted his thoughts, Oda's strong arm pulling him up, "Back to work. Let us go."

3 days passed since Bolin arrived at the mines.

At least... thats what he thought. He tried doing the math... but without seeing the sun there was no way of knowing how long the days were here. Hours started to run into each other and his concept of time no longer seemed to matter. Only the sound of the whistle to get to work and the one that tells you to stop working ruled his world now. That, and the guards who watched their every move.

Their faces hidden by their leather goggle masks, they watched them like turkey-vultures. One guard kept watch over Bolin and Oda a little too carefully, the same one who punished Bolin on his first day. He also punished Bolin on his second and third day too. Bolin could not stop him and he did not blame the others for being too afraid to help. He wouldn't wish this kind of torture on anyone and by the fifth time, he had earned a torture treatment earlier that workshift by not being fast enough to the chamber, he stopped passing out but he still could not bend for some 10 mintues afterwards.

"I suppose he is bored and wants to show you who is in charge," Oda offered an explanation in a whisper as Bolin twitched and seized up on the floor, his stomach churned but he managed to keep what he that night from coming up on him.

"Only have to... do it... once." Bolin grimaced in intense pain, he wished he passed out this time. Oda grabbed his arm and swung it over his shoulders. Using the leverage, Oda pulled Bolin to his feet. This caused Bolin to cry out in pain.

"Ahhha...! Easy, easy... everything burns like hell." Bolin inhaled with a hiss as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists hard. As Oda set him down to sit on a rock, Bolin rubbed the back of his neck above his collar, trying to soothe the pain, and asked "He's been... doing this to me for three days... I noticed he doesn't pick on any of the other new guys so... why me?"

"I do not know Bolin, I have to admit... that one has never dogged someone as much as he has targeted you. I wonder what has set him to seek you out...?" He directed his gaze to Bolin.

"I wish I knew what I did so I could fix it... or maybe do it all over again just to annoy him."

Oda chuckled and went back to working on the wall while Bolin clenched and unclenched his fists; he still could not bend yet. He had to get out of here, or they were going to kill him. If there was more light in the work area, Bolin would have looked pale; his skin wet with sweat and his veins unnaturally visable and darkened. He hadn't seen a mirror in day so he had no idea what he looked like, but he could feel it inside every time he was shocked. He could feel himself... die a little inside for lack of better words. Bolin continued to flex his hands, it was taking a little longer than usual to get the feeling back in his hands but they were coming back nonetheless, just slowly.

Bolin looked to him, "Oda... How do we get out?"

This made Oda pause in his work, "I was wondering when you would ask such a question; I thought perhaps the food had gotten to you. Many have tried to escape... and the same number have failed to do so."

"So what will happen if they shock me too many times..?"

"Im not sure. They normally only do it once or twice. Only once for measure and another if the person has broken a rule. I am uncertain why you are being targeted." Oda soberly went back to work again leaving Bolin staring at his hands with a look of concern and uncertainty about his future if he would ever have one.

**~...~...~...~...~...~...~**

"You _what_? !" Was Tenzin's reaction, exactly what the White Lotus squad leader said would happen if what Korra was going to do was found out.

Korra now paced in her room, a lotus guard placed outside her door _and_ window. She could not sit down, she had to find a way to save Bolin. But how could she with the Lotus guards watching her every move? She was on the Avatar equivalent of being grounded. They even took Bolin's shirt from her and she was sure she did not have anything green to go in disguise.

She tried breaking down walls and even going through the roof but each of her attempts had been thwarted each time, the Lotus had beefed up security a lot more than usual. She even puched a hole in the wall but it seemed that no matter what she did the Lotus guards managed to stop her.

Over the next 3 days she had been using almost every minute to attempt an escape.

"They got smart..." she grumbled as her last attempt at blasting through the roof ended in vain as she was pinned in her room. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the new additions to her quarters. Steel bolts plastered her window and a metal door had replaced her wooden one. As soon as the guards let go she lunged at them but they were already out of her reach and closed the door just as she made contact with it instead of them with a huge clang.

Korra placed her hands on the cold metal of the door, and growled inwardly. This was the last straw, how dare they do this to her? How can she be the Avatar if she was not even allowed to risk herself for her friends? Gritting her teeth, she punched at the door, her fists engulfed in flames of fury and kicked at the door with all her strength.

On the other side, nervous Lotus guards staggered away from the door as Korra repeatedly hammered it with angry strikes. With each powerful blow they were afraid the door would not hold for long; however, after every hit and indent the door took, it did not break. After a half hour, the attacks started to dwindle in frequency until there was one last thump. Then all went quiet. The silence was disturbing and even more unnerving than the beatings on the door.

Korra slumped to her knees panting heavily, her fist still in contact with the door. She wanted to cry, she wanted to beat those guards senseless, _Why_? Why do this to her?

Then something happened that Korra did not expect, a small knock on the door. She did not say anything as she pulled her fist from the metal, slowly standing up. Her fists felt raw, burning even though the fire was out, she gritted her teeth as she stared out the the window to the fading sunset. Another small knock on the door again. Tears stung her eyes as she shouted, "Go away!"

She heard the metal door slide open and Korra turned around with a snarl, "I said go awa- " she was about to wail on any poor unfortunate guard who dared to open the door... except it wasn't a guard but Pema, newly pregnant again and practically glowing.

"Pema... I'm sorry I thought-" Korra stood there dumbfounded by the woman's presence. It was only when the woman approached her and placed a brown parcel in her arms that brought Korra back to earth.

"Don't worry about it. Believe me, Tenzin had no idea they would go this far as to make you a prisoner here. It's just not right..." her expression was sadness mixed with anger until she changed the subject when she pointed to the package she handed Korra with excitement. "Well? What are you waiting for? Put it on, I want to see if it fits."

Korra, wide eyed, looked down and unwrapped the brown paper. It was Bolin's shirt, the same one she had been wearing when the Lotus brought her back here. However, there was something different about it. She held it out and gravity unfolded it for her. It looked like it had been altered to fit a more womanly figure. Korra looked up gaping at Pema who simply looked at her with her motherly smile.

"What-? How did you get this? I thought they threw it away..." Korra was nearly speachless and hope of rescuing her friend rekindled in her chest.

Pema smirked, "And just who do you think does all the chores around here? You think those White Lotus' around here actually do chores? Taking out the trash? Doing laundry? I know how much this means to you, so I... kept it from going into the compost. I made a few changes to fit you, I don't think your friend would mind."

Korra looked at Pema, the relief and smile on her face could not begin to measure her amount of graditude, "Thank you... thank you so much. I wont waste this chance."

"Go on, put it on."

Korra quickly changed into the green shirt. The sleeves were no longer too big around her chest, the sides hugged her nicely so that she no longer needed the sash and the length seemed to be longer, reaching to her mid-thighs, as though Pema used the extra fabric to lengthen the shirt on the front and back while creating slits on each side that stopped at her waistline.

"There's more." Pema pointed to the package that fell to the floor. Peeking out of it was a pair of olive green pants that looked like it cut off at the knees. "Those used to be mine before my first pregnancy. I'm sure they'll fit."

"They're perfect." Korra embraced Pema in a gentle hug. "Thank you so much."

"That's just the start. Ikki and Jinora will be here soon with your dinner, though... Meelo might make a mess of things." Pema winked and opened the door leaving Korra to change completely into the outfit. Korra smiled as she imagined the kind of hyjinks the children could have planned for an escape.

Not ten minutes later, Jinora walked into the room after a skipping Ikki carrying a bowl of the day's dinner meal. The hyperactive of the two went straight up to Korra while Jinora set the bowl of stewed cabbage onto the nightstand.

"Oooh Korra! You look pretty! Is that the earthbending boy's shirt? Did he give that to you? Did you steal it out of some secret desire to be with him? Are the cute firebending boy and he going to fight over-mmphnm" Ikki fired off at a million miles per second when she saw the way Korra was dressed, the Avatar frozen by the bluntness of the child. She was cut off by her older sister putting her hand over her mouth, smothering the last words till she pushed it away and the momentum was lost. "Hey!"

"Korra," Jinora pulled her hand away from her sister. "You can't go out with your hair like that..."

Korra leaned over to look in the mirror near the dresser. She had not messed with her hair at all since that night she had been caught by the Lotus guards. It looked worse than before, her severely disheveled braid half undone and knotted. Korra gave a sheepish grin, "I think it looks good."

Suddenly Ikki laced her fingers together and cracked her knuckles, "We're going to need water, cream rinse, a lot of style goop, hair pins..."

Korra gulped and backed away as Jinora and Ikki, who was still listing off supplies, closed in on her.

...

Korra's head hurt. Her dark brown hair has been brushed within an inch of its life and painfully pulled back into twin buns, one on each side of her head. Thankfully she stopped at two when the girls, especially Ikki wanted to do a lot more with rainbows and and glitter. She reached up a hand to touch her new hair style when Ikki swatted it away with a warning and a waggle of her little index finger.

"Don't touch it, you'll mess it up." she recited with an act that reminded Korra strangely of Tenzin.

"Okay, Okay." Korra felt anxious to get back to the streets of Republic city. Shifting her eyes towards the metal door which still held the marks of her anger. "What happens now?"

Jinora looked up at her with a mischievous grin, "Wait for it..."

Suddenly, a loud crash came from above their heads. Young Meelo, grinning wildly, gently floated down in front of Korra whose eyes glanced up and found a child sized hole in the ceiling. Before she could react to her new escape route, Jinora and Ikki forcefully shoved her behind the door just as it opened.

"She went up! Out through the roof!" The girls cried and pointed up to the hole. The waterbender and firebender guards who had come in to investigate the noise immediately launched themselves through to the roof. Meelo followed after them and proceeded to misdirect them to the sky bison or more accurately Naga's pen.

After a moment, as the muffled voices of shouting guards faded, Jinora effortlessly rose in the the air with a light twirl to peek out on to the roof.

"All clear." she whispered down to them, "All the guards are headed towards the pens."

Korra lept and caught hold of the edge of the hole, with the help of the airbender children she climbed through the roof "I have to admit, I was expecting something a bit... well, a bit more chaotic-"

Suddenly a loud boom rattled the roof and a plume of smoke near the kitchens billowed lightly out into the air.

"You were saying?" the girls smirked at the Avatar.

"You guys are awesome." Korra grinned as she hurried off the roof to the nearby cliff. She needed no instructions on what to do next; she's done it so many times it should be second nature by now. After waving a meaningful goodbye to Ikki and Jinora; she did a graceful dive into the water, expertly bending the water around her to keep herself from ever getting wet or running out of air. At speeds aided by waterbending, Korra took off in the direction of the faint golden glow of Republic city's night lights that reflected in the water.

She was so concentrated on reaching the city that she did not notice another following her at a distance, bending the ocean around him to his will to keep his presence from disturbing the water.

* * *

End chapter 6

Thank you all and tips are very much appreciated as I am always trying to improve.

Note: I lost my "I" key recently. So any missing "i"s, I sincerely apologize for belatedly. I also apologize for the late update, technical difficulties...


	7. Never Surrender part 1

Chapter 7 part 1

LOK

#49

* * *

Korra had done it.

She had managed to get herself in deep trouble this time. And this time she wasn't with Mako to help her. Here in the middle of the park she was surrounded by dark figures, though this time they were not her White Lotus guards. No. These were the real deal, the ones who had been snatching up Earthbenders for the past few nights. They had almost caught her unawares if not for a call of a turtleduck...

_"Cuakoo Oook."_

Causing her to turn around at the last second to come face to mask with a man holding a damp cloth in his gloved hands. Both lept backwards, Korra sending a volley of earth pellets as she did so and the masked man gracefully flipped, acrobatically dodging each clump of dirt sent.

Her fists clenched as she sent another rock flying at a goggle masked man in black. The man dodged it only to be sent backwards by a larger rock. It was during this moment that three others seized an opening and wrapped their arms around her. Korra could not help but gasp, though at the exact moment that she did so a cloth was placed over her mouth, the same damp cloth the other man was holding. She felt rapid pulses down her arms simultaneously and at that moment knew she would no longer be able to bend.

She struggled against the men for what seemed like the better part of a half hour, more and more hands fell upon her. The sleeve of Bolin's shirt was torn and she gained bruises all over her body as they tried to beat her into submission while the chemicals in the cloth were late in slowing her down.

_Thwack!_

Finally came one good blow to her skull to knock her out. Korra's form slumped over in a heap in the arms of now seven men. A thin, tall young man stood over his masked face looking down upon her, seemingly frozen as he held a rock in his hand. A large truck backed up into park entrance, and Korra's body was hoisted into the back.

"Good job, rookie." The men filed into the back one by one in almost military fashion. The last one, the rookie, looked back at the park silently and then into the truck, sitting near Korra's body.

**...**

Korra awoke to a searing pain in her head, and just about her whole body ached. The room was a brightly lit office that favored a tacky color of red. Her hands were bound behind her back, binds she could not escape from no matter how much she struggled.

This was not the kind of place she expected to wake up at and she felt her chest tighten. Did they find out she's the Avatar? Her heart quickened

"Hu-hu-hu-hu..."

Her attention was grabbed by that ear grating sound of a laugh. Her head was suddenly forcefully lifted, her expression instinctually formed a snarl as she was brought closer to a large man's face, whose hand held her by the chin. He had on Fire nation armor, it reminded her of the kind she saw in pictures of history books. He lowered his face to hers, the not scarred part held a sickening grin that Korra quickly feared and dispised. It was the kind of look only powerful individuals gave when they cornered their prey and were going to enjoy their meal. It was a look of lust and evil.

"Who ever you are, you wont get away with this..." She growled as the man's puffy fingers tilted her chin left and then right. He was inspecting her like a trainer does a new mongrel.

Her statement only earned another nasty chuckle from the man, his calloused hands caressed her skin. "I am the Warden, my dear. You certainly are lively and for an obvious half blooded earthbender you have quite the skill of a master. I heard it took nearly seven men to take you in."

The man leaned in close and his scarred skin barely brushed against her cheek, his huffed breathing disgusted Korra even more than she was with the man at how he looked at her. She felt bile rise in her throat, gritting her teeth she held it in with thoughts of mind over matter. She was not going to show any weakness to this man. She kept scowling at him, and shortly said, "I've had wonderful teachers."

The Warden's grin diminished into a hardened expression and his eyes narrowed. Korra stiffened slightly, again she feared she may have been found out; but when a metal ring was placed around her neck and hands, painfully snapped into place, the warden began smiling like a devil again. "Such a disappointment, a beauty like you could be used for much more enjoyable purposes. It's truely a shame that your talents are more suited for the pits, your skin color is exactly what our customers desire most."

Korra sucked up a wad of saliva and spit at the man's face.

"Ugh!" The man grimaced and backed away with his hand rising to wipe the dripping wetness from his high balding forehead. He growled angrily at the awaiting guards, "Take her to those rat holes, both the work shifts are ending by now. A bowl of slop will change her demeanor quickly enough. Her designation is seventy-four, get this dirt-grubber out of my sight."

Korra screamed and struggled as two guards grasped her from under her arms with a third following. She screamed as they started to drag her away, "I wont let you get away with this! You'll pay for what you're doing here!"

Her words echoed in the cavern as she struggled and one of the guards hit her face, she could feel her cheek one who hit her was bilt like a tank and could handle her single handedly in her weakened state. The other two had the same slim build, for agility and speed assuming. The one beside the larger man threatened, his voice came out quite clear despite the mask, "Quit it or you'll get the nerve treatment!"

"I don't care!" She tried to swipe at them with Earthbending but faltered when the cavern wall did not bend to her will. She gasped, horrified. "What did you do to me?"

"Stupid Earthbenders, every time too. This is getting dull quick, eh bud?" The one guard that spoke to her before did not address her now, but to the guy behind the man that bruised her up. "You're the real quiet type I've noticed, rookie. Not that I care to each his own I say But I like to socialize.

The slim young man only stared at him, expression hidden and undiscernable from under the mask.

The guard that talked a lot spoke again but this time to Korra as well, "A word of advice kid... Watch out for Hun. He's a mean son of a gun, an asshole, and is not afraid to kill a man for his 'exepriments'. Yeah, the freak thinks he's some sort of scientist, goes on about how his research will please the one true emperor. Puh-lease. The guy just wants to be recognized, he was an architect before this. An architect! "

"You just don't shut up do you Fritz?" The man doing the beating finally spoke up. "All I hear from you is blah blah this and blah blah that! The only time you shut up is in front of the Warden, I swear you say one more word on they way down and I will make sure you end up like our lady here." He made a point with another punch to the face. Pain seared above her left eye and warm liquid trickled down over it, she had to squint as red tinted her vision.

"The Warden will be mad if you break her before we get there."

"Grrr! That's it!" The brute tossed Korra aside as he lunged at the smaller fast talking figure. Korra, her arms still restrained behind her back, landed on her stomach and air expelled from her lungs. She could not see but she could hear the angry man yelling curses and by the sound of it someone was trying to keep them both from fighting. Probably the silent one, during all that time she did not hear him speak. She grunted as she used her legs to slide down the stairs on her stomach, each ledge she ran over felt as painful as the last as the metal threatened to stab her through her shirt. Nonetheless she had to get past this and move quickly, use the distraction to get away to find Bolin. Crawling catapillar style made her abs burn as much as her face did, the blood had dribbled to her chin too making the task a little harder.

Her face finally planted on a flat platform when she felt herself being lifted up by her bound hands, she hissed in pain when her shoulders stretched beyond their limit as she was raised beyond the reach of her feet.

"Ngh! Let me go!"

It must've been the brute who noticed her trying to escape them, cause it was he who lifted her up, "You in a hurry to meet your fate? So be it."

The next few second went by so fast it seemed like a blur. Korra felt herself go flying as she was tossed over the handrail and a scream escaped her throat.

* * *

End chapter 7 pt 1

Tips are greatly appreciated as I am always trying to improve.


	8. Never Surrender part 2

Chapter 8

LOK

#49

Enjoy!

* * *

Never Surrender Part 2

The sounds of shouting that echoed through the cavern drew Bolin from his meal. When he heard a female voice that's when he dropped his bowl in alarm.

"Korra...? It can't be..."

He got up slowly in a state of shock, his spilled goop forgotten and started to climb over the other prisoners in the circle. He was about to leave the clearing area when he was stopped with a hand on his shoulder. Oda's voice was stern, though his warning was gentle and full of actual worry.

"If you go over there, you will only be giving them another reason to hurt you!"

"Someone I know is over there Oda, I have to help her." He shoved Oda's hand off and proceeded to rush towards the sounds of the fight. As he got closer it was clearer now that it was indeed his friend, which drove him even more to the sound of her voice. He was getting rescued, Mako would be there with her and then he and all the other prisoners would be free. His heart skipped for joy and he could not help but smile genuinely, at the fact there was a chance to get out of here or that Korra and Mako were rescuing him. Oda followed closely behind, ready to grab his friend from danger at a moment's notice.

"AAAAHHH!"

A girl's scream echoed through the cavern and Bolin moved forward in a way that Oda had not seen from the young Earthbender before. He moved with purpose at the base of the stairs, his arms outstretched.

* * *

"AAAAHHH!" Korra screamed as she fell, she could see the ground rushing towards her face as she could do nothing to stop it. Her life flash before her waking eyes. From the time she was a little girl spouting fire balls and earth pellets to her first kiss with Mako and beyond. Her mother's soothing voice, her father's strong arms... her heart ached to experience one more moment with those dear to her. She squeezed her eyes shut... it'll be over soon she thought.

That is... before a pair of warm arms wrapped around her and not the cold hard ground. She felt she was no longer falling, and slowly opened her eyes. She looked up at the faces of an older man and...

"Korra, are you okay? Damn it, look what they've done to you..."

Bolin... she found him.

"Heh, you should see the other guys." she smirked in response. Her eyes scanning him over in the light, he appeared terrible, pale and almost sickly looking. "And you, you don't look to good yourself."

"Not my fault." He sounded okay though... his humor at least.

Korra continued as she was gently set on the ground "I'm glad I found you, Mako's really worried about you, and so was I."

Bolin waved a finger at her, a grin plastered his face "Actually, I found you. Can't find someone when you're falling fifty feet."

Korra rolled her eyes but she had a smile on her face too, "Whatever. Just untie me." She turned her back to him for him to untie her hands.

"Just want credit where credit is due." was the last of what he would say about that and proceeded to release her from her bindings.

"Where is Mako..." Bolin looked around as he undid the ties. He had seen no one else on the stairs aside from the guards but that did could have mean Mako might be elsewhere.

"He... I did this on my own."

Bolin remained silent, analyzing the response but also unsure of what to say to her. He undid the last of the knots and the binds fell to the floor.

With her hands free she inspected her new 'bracelets' and other 'jewelry' newly added to her body. "What are these? I bet these are why I can't bend."

"That is exactly right, young lady." The older man spoke to her as he gathered her discarded bonds. Korra narrowed her eyes to the potential threat.

Bolin's eyes widened in embarrassment, stunned that he forgot to introduce her to his mentor, "Oh! Korra this is Oda, he's sort of taken me under his wing since I first got here. Oda meet Korra, teammate and she also happens to be th-mmphtrr." He would have said she was the Avatar if not for Korra's swift hand that grabbed his mouth to muffle the word.

"No one is supposed to know... not yet." She whispered in his ear quickly and letting him go.

Oda raised an eyebrow questioningly to the new arrival whom Bolin coincidentally knew and risked further punishment by saving.

Bolin looked up to Oda and realized by his expression that an explanation needed to be had, "She's also one of my closest friends besides my brother, saved my life more times than I could count." He gave her a confident smile.

Oda simply nodded, his expression back to normal, and held out his hand, "It is an honor to meet you Korra." he then turns his attention to Bolin. "Bolin we should get back to the village now. The guards will be around soon and we should not be in this area near the stairs..."

"Village?" Korra asked. She stood on her own, hiding her shaking hands under her arms to not let on the near death experience rattled her a little more than she liked.

"Yeah, its nice. A group of little huts where we sleep." Bolin motioned her to follow as Oda already began to walk up the rocky path. It was also this time she noted that the shoes she wore were gone. She assumed they probably sold them to local shops to help with the money for this whole operation. What ever this was.

"Bo, I don't intend for us to stay the night... "

Bolin stopped and looked over his shoulder. In the light, his pale and sickly face with the expression of longing yet there was also something there that terrified him. "We can't leave... trust me you don't want to find out what happens."

He seemed truly afraid when he said that, a shadow of his former self... and those bastards responsible are going to pay. She clenched her fists hard. "Bolin, I swear I'm going to get you out of here."

Bolin hesitated a second as they entered the outskirts of the village, "And the others, Korra?"

Korra blinked for a second, "Yes of cour- wait there are others? How many?"

"What ever your number is.. that's how many there are here; I haven't really bothered to count... But I wont leave them Korra. I can't." Bolin had stopped and turned to face her, his hand on a wall of a hut to steady himself before he continued. He had, after all, just come off of a day's shift.

"Its horrible down here, but they've taken care of me and even flourished a little. We have to save them... but they seem happy down here. Honestly, If I weren't being electrocuted every damn shift I might be happy here too."

"Of course we'll save them, all of them... I promise." She nodded, it was a promise as the Avatar she intended to keep.

Bolin righted himself again only to show off his physique by flexing, "And the work's made me stronger too, I can lift more than I ever did."

"Yeah, I can tell. Seems to be the only thing that looks healthy about you. What do they make you do here?" inquired Korra, needing to learn a whole lot about this place if she was going to stage a break out.

Bolin began to walk again as he spoke, his eyes shifted to the lights on the ceiling as they began to dim. "They make us dig for stuff, lots of things actually but one really big one. A type of crystal-things that are as I'm told pretty rare and sensitive to light, which is why they make us dig in near darkness... We should get moving the lights are gonna go out."

"Are we going there now? To dig?" Korra asked as she assumed the dimming lights meant it was time to dig.

"No, we're going to hide."

"What?"

"They come out at night." Bolin shivered. "Horrible creatures. Nothing I've ever seen, not even in books. The lights keep them away but there is only so much electricity they can use to keep the lights on."

Korra put her hands on her hips, "I think I can handle that."

"Not without your bending, Korra."

Korra growled, it was getting really annoying real fast without her bending.

_Shff_

The Avatar turned around on her heels, prepared to fight what ever creature made the noise though she was stopped in mid pose by the sight of other human beings. They were following the same narrow pathway to their huts. The mass of people caught her off guard as she stared at the individuals the turned onto different paths or into nearby huts. Her attention was eventually shaken away by Bolin.

"Here, you can stay in my hut if you like. I'm not sure there's enough time to find one of your own." He presented to her a small sized box hut with one opening. As the lights were almost at their darkest, Bolin was practically shoving her towards the entrance. "Inside, quick!"

"Okay! Okay!" She hastily clamored into the box space, which inside looked a bit more spacious. She was followed by Bolin who immediately began to work on moving a large stone slab. Korra could tell it took a lot of effort to move it and she scrambled to his side to help. With her strength the stone moved fairly quickly into position of sealing the door.

Bolin, at last allowed himself to collapse, crumpled to a sweating heap. "Thanks." He gulped the stale air.

"Thank me when I get you out of here, alright?" Korra inspected the hut for a place to sit, her back leaning against on of the four walls. She felt around and determined that every where felt the the same and decided to hunker down nearest to the door. The pitch blackness did not make things any easier, as both occupants struggled to climb over each other for their suited spots. Though both were almost the same size, Bolin with a bit more bulk, the box was too small for them to have their space and not be very close together. But in the next moment, space would not even matter to her except for the amount of stone that was placed between them and the outside.

_"Schrrreeeee! ! Schrrreeek!"_

The chilling sound that reached Korra's ears felt like nails on a chalk board. "What was that? !"

Bolin shifted uncomfortably, "Those things... those things that come out at night."

Korra's teeth gritted as she fought the urge to roll away the stone and confront what ever being was making those howls. That was... until the shreaks got closer and carnivorous growling got louder. Soon she could hear the deep thumps of something lurking past their hut.

Korra had sudden the urge to peek out of a crack meant to be for ventilation. She could not see through the darkness except for darker forms, possibly about the size of the hut, lumbering about in the darkness. She looked back at Bolin, who seemed to stare at her or at least that's where he faced. Upon looking back at the crack she was met with a huff of hot air and putrid smelling breath. One of the beasts had found their scent and began clawing at the stone.

She scrambled backwards, adrenaline shot through her system and set of alarms in her head, her breath and scream caught in her throat. She reached the far wall next to Bolin when she was finally able to cry out, a hand reached out to muffle her. Bolin covered her mouth and his other hand held her shoulder. He kept whispering, "It'll pass... It'll pass..."

Korra no longer screamed into his hand, the moment of weakness long passed, but she did not have the heart to shove him away. She trusted him with her life. Even with hounds of hell trying to break down the door. His whispers turned to murmurs and his head rolled on her shoulder exhausted. Bolin fell asleep, it wasn't necessarily a peaceful sleep but sleep nonetheless. Korra contemplated sleep as the scratching and growling grew more vicious as it seemed the creatures started to fight outside. She wondered how any one could sleep with these roaming around in the dark. Little did she realize that she herself was falling asleep as well.

It certainly had been a long day.

* * *

End chapter 8

The threads are starting to come together.

Tell me what you think?

Tips and advice are always appreciated as I am always trying to improve. This chapter has not been "Fine tuned" or gone through a 3rd edit.


	9. Headstrong

Chapter 9

LOK

Number 49

Disclaimer: I have no ownership of Legend of Korra.

* * *

Korra groaned as she was woken up by a sudden flood of light, holding her hand to her eyes as even the dim glow hurt her vision. The first thought that came to her mind was where the heck was she?

"Good morning. Did you sleep alright?" a deep voice asked.

_Oh_ that's right she had no clue as to where she was other than it was dark, surrounded by rock on all sides and the hosts had bad habits of throwing young ladies several stories to their deaths. The waking groans of Bolin beside her made her relax only some, they were still prisoners. Korra cautiously brought her hand away from her eyes. In her line of sight, in the doorway of the hut, stooped a large figure. It was the man who helped Bolin save her from her fall. Sleep? Sure. A good sleep is one where a stone wall is all that stands between you and hungry monsters.

"O-Oda right?" Korra managed to croak. Her throat was a little sore from yelling in the past three days, but also she was feeling very thirsty.

The man nodded as his gaze shifted from her to beside her and Korra turned her head. Bolin was sitting up rubbing his eyes, which seemed to tear up because of the light.

"Is it time already?" The young Earthbender mumbled.

"It is." Oda's tone was solemn.

Korra's head turned from her friend to the older man and then back to her friend, "Time for _what_, exactly?"

"To work, Korra, the part where we dig." Bolin crawled out of the hut as Oda backed away, forms of other prisoners on their way to who knows where passed by. Korra too shuffled out through the open door, staggering to her feet she winced slightly as the soles of her feet scraped against rough rock reminding her that she was barefoot. Bolin used the side of the hut to pull himself up to stand. In this light even though he still looked sickly she could see that he indeed was becoming stronger, muscle wise. However, she could not get past how his veins showed through, how his eyes were red and that dark circles formed. How dare they do this to another human being! Her friend!

"Why do we really have to do what they say, Bolin?" Korra clenched her fist."Even without my bending we can still bust out of here, with everyone! I'm pretty sure we out number them-"

"_NO_!"

The outburst unexpectedly came from Oda, even caused several of the other prisoners to stop in their tracks. Looking upon Oda, the man had his own fists clenched with his whole body shaking. His face contorted with a brief fury before he brought one hand up to cover his face as he regained his composure and he repeated, "No."

Korra could not let this go, she needed to know why so many people had not revolted after being taken from their homes. She decided to approach the subject with less force, too much on a sensitive subject she learned long ago does not help anything. Moving closer to the older man, tilting her head under his vision, "Why?"

Oda hesitated before letting his hand fall from his face. He glanced over his left shoulder at something... or someone, then over to his right to Bolin.

"Look at your friend. What he suffers is the continuous punishment that the Warden can inflict on anyone of us, anywhere. Do not take them lightly." His words filled with sorrow and a forceful warning.

This made Korra pause, an unwilling glance over in Bolin's direction even as her friend's head turned away with a look on his face that reflected shame. A deafening quiet fell upon the cavern.

A loud bell cut through the silence and Oda spoke again, making eye contact with Bolin, "We best be moving or we will be late."

The feeling in her stomach grew, she hated not being able to do anything, as impatience gnawed at her, she grumbled, "Working is not what I had in mind..."

"You should follow the women then, they will help you do your job." Oda's demeanor completely changed to that of simply matter-of-fact. The large man turned shortly to leave.

"Wait, why can't I stay with Bolin?"

"Why can't she stay with us?"

Oda turned to Bolin, answering his question, "Have you not noticed, friend, that only men do the digging work?"

Bolin shook his head, "Never really crossed my mind actually..."

"What do the girls do?" Korra asked.

"You will find out when you get there. Go. Bolin and I must take our leave." That stern tone was back.

The authoritative tone of an elder. Korra respected her elders but only ones who've earned it and this man confused her. He obviously meant well, but since the bell tolled Oda had been less than short tempered with her, talking more to Bolin than to her. Had the nerve she struck before really been such a hard subject for him?

Bolin bit his bottom lip, torn between his friend and a secret dread, waving to her, "Don't worry, Korra. I'll see you after the shift is done, alright?"

Korra nodded slowly as Bolin hastily followed Oda down the trail.

...

"Korra is a good friend, Oda. She's just looking out for me that's all..." Bolin spoke as he shifted and molded the rock face with his hands. His feet pivoted as he carefully bent a good sized chunk of rock into an awaiting cart.

The older man was working on the same surface of stone a foot away, "Too headstrong, asking the questions that will only lead to trouble. I pray she learns the lessons taught here."

Bolin contemplated what kinds of lessons Oda meant. Subservience, obedience, being happy with what you get? Just about all that Korra isn't. Bolin chuckled quietly to himself. That was a good thing to him. "She is headstrong, but that's what makes her a good at what she does. It's kind of her job to save people..."

Oda fell silent and Bolin wondered if he said too much about Korra until the older bender spoke again, "My wife and daughter will be with her; the women's work is not nearly as taxing. She will be fine."

This random conclusion to the topic caught Bolin by surprise, though it probably meant the end to talking about Korra. One thing Bolin has learned is if Oda ended the conversation, it meant the end of discussion.

The two worked in silence in their work space. Almost hourly when the cart became full, one of them would send it on its way down the line to be replaced promptly by a new one. The whole project worked like a machine and each person had a function to fulfill. Where the filled carts ended up Bolin did not know.

Bolin began to wonder of what kind of work women did, which led to another thought. The young bender frowned as he realized something, "Oda... you've mentioned your family a lot, but now that I think of it, I've never met your family."

"You never asked." Oda sounded almost surprised.

Bolin almost keeled over in a deadpan state, "Never thought I had to ask."

"My son and future son-in-law are here on the other side in an upper level mine." Oda stated. "If you wish, you may see my family all together later at the circle."

"I'd like that. I wish you could meet my family too." Bolin smiled softly. "Korra is _like_ family but my brother is all I have left. Our parents are... gone. My brother and I have stuck together since..."

Oda looked over his shoulder, "You speak highly of your brother often. He must be a very good man."

"The best there is..." Bolin thought wistfully about Mako. The times when Bolin would get himself into trouble and Mako would always be there to get his tail end out of boiling water.

A sharp grunt from Oda interrupted his thoughts, "Uh-oh..."

The hairs on the back of Bolin's neck started to prickle in foreboding as he turned his head down the line. A guard to which Bolin was more familiar with than he wanted to be walked towards them. The younger Earthbender groaned silently as he grimaced in remembering his daily torture.

...~...~...~

Watching Bolin walk away to another day of working for these bastards who had taken him from Mako felt worse than she thought it would. This whole situation stung her where it hurts and she was helpless right now to control any of it. She had not noticed that the huts were empty, and the paths were devoid of those who she saw before. She also did not notice a figure casually stride behind her, spinning a baton lazily around a gloved index finger.

"Well, well, well, looks like _mouthy_ survived her little fall."

Korra's eyes narrowed as the familiar voice of the fast talking guard... whose name she did not care to remember, spoke. Slowly she turned around as the guard continued.

"And all lost too. I would have expected better supervision from the _firsts_." The masked guard put a gloved hand to his goggles in an imitation of searching.

Korra just glared at him, annoyed that of all people it had to be this guy. More light footsteps as the tall, silent guard came up the path behind the talkative one. Her gaze did not waver, even as the new guard stopped short when the other raised his hand for him to halt.

"Aww... now don't be like that. You'll scare the rookie here, and besides we only came to show you to where you should be. I ain't much of a sadistic type y'know, the easier it is for me the nicer it is for you. Now come on, move along." The slick talker opened his arm to the path he came from.

Korra did not budge, her glaring eyes daring the guard to make her move, "No."

"Ugh, c'mon I don't want to use this. It's sickening..." he replied, indicating to his baton and with an added grumble. "Stupid Earthbenders..."

"I'm not moving." Korra folded her arms across her chest.

The guard simply shook his head, as he raised his arm and pointed his baton directly at Korra, "Then you leave me no choice..."

The next few seconds happened in seemingly slow motion.

Something inside Korra flashed and strange images welled in her mind that ended in a blaze of fire but more importantly a word came out of her mouth against her will, "**_No_**."

At the same time the hand of the rookie behind the guard swiftly placed upon the pointed baton.

The talkative guard turned his head from the rookie to Korra, then back to the rookie and then Korra again. Waving the rookie off his baton, he rested the stick against his shoulder, "Glad you could see it my way, sweetheart."

Korra was frozen, wide-eyed with shock. What had just happened? It was as though someone else had taken control of her words! She held her hand lightly against her mouth, as though to catch any other unexpected phrases to fall from her lips. And those pictures! It felt like something from her past. Of course, even with her bending being controlled she was still the Avatar. She had a feeling her past lives or one of them wanted her to cooperate.

"You moving or what?" The guard asked.

She nodded finally and rushed down the path indicated leaving the two guards behind her.

...~...~...~

Bolin struggled to keep his attention to the wall while his nerves got the better of him. He started to tremble as his eyes teared up. He could now hear the ominous footsteps of the one that caused his fear creep ever closer.

_Tump! Tump! Tump!_

The sound was loud in his ears. Were those really footsteps? Or was it just his heart threatening to escape and leave his doomed soul behind?

_Crunch..._

The noise stopped near him and Bolin feared his heart stopped too.

"You. Forty-Nine. Come with me."

Bolin gulped and turned around, "You mean me?"

"Move. Now!" The guard threatened to push the switch on his own baton and Bolin jumped up quick and stood at attention in front of the guard. Bolin followed as the guard moved.

Oda watched with sad eyes, saying a silent prayer to the spirits to protect the young man.

* * *

End Chapter 9

Tips and advice are very much appreciated as I am always trying to improve. Thoughts are nice too. Comments. Notes.

Really. Seriously.


	10. A Fatal Experiment

Chapter 10, finally I know.

LOK

#49

Enjoy

* * *

Afraid, Bolin's fingers fidgeted nervously close to his chest. The constant hard labor had made his fingertips numb a while ago, way past the point of raw but not bloodied.

It was much like how his bare feet were feeling now as he was led through the dark chamber along the familiar path towards the central chamber where the huts were. The silence that befell the cavern was nearly deafening, as though the other prisoners had stopped working right then just to give the two their attention. That did not make Bolin feel any better.

"Hurry up, I do not have very much _patience_ to spend with you today." The cruel guard paused but did not look to Bolin.

Bolin restrained himself from talking back, since when did this guy have any sort of patience with him? Trembling slightly, he complied and moved faster.

He was led out into the light and Bolin naturally shunned his eyes away from the ceiling lights, the sudden light change always got to him. While his eyes teared up with precious water he could not afford to waste while not working, he did his best to follow the sounds of the guard's boots. The distinct crunch on the stone floor was very different from the soft patter of the bare feet of the prisoners. He had quickly learned the difference long ago.

He was not led far into the central cavern, down a path that led towards a level clearing where the guard had stopped. Bolin's eyes widened as the guard slipped up his mask to reveal a pale face with a mass of black hair. If he didn't know any better he would have guessed some fire nation decent.

"What now?" Bolin let the question slip before he could stop it, biting his lip and hoping he did not just incur another wrathful punishment. However, to the young Earthbender's surprise, the guard answered his question.

The guard's voice was swift, precise, cold, and unfeeling; having a relation to a blade of some sort... a scalpel. Yes, exactly like the surgical tool, Bolin thought. He also thought this man was a lunatic.

"I intend to inspect you. You have undergone the nerve treatment for four cycles straight. I intend to inspect your progress and then I will decide where to proceed from there."

Bolin's teeth clenched together as his body tensed, not from any sort of anger but from fear, he managed to squeak out, "Excuse me..?"

"I only need to see if you can survive the next treatment." The guard slowly slipped out his baton. "Unfortunately most never do. Actually... none ever do."

Bolin's eyes widened as the guard raised the wand to level with his neck, his voice cracked as he stammered, raising his hands up in surrender, "Now-now, w-wait a minute! I-I-I'm sure we can wor-work something out..."

Teeth flashed, Bolin could see a wicked grin on the psycho's face. His mind tried to tell his body to flee but it would not obey. He trembled in the same spot, the words running through his head that he was going to die here and his brother would never find his body or have closure.

The second that ticked by seemed like a long hour to Bolin, he could feel his heart beating to leave his body even if he himself couldn't escape.

"Hey!" a voice called out that took the cruel guard's attention. "Put your mask back on, you _sicko_."

Bolin managed to turn his head through the intense fear. Two masked guards were standing there, both tall but one was thinner than the other, the thinner one was the one doing the talking, "You know better to reveal your image to prisoners. That's against the rules."

"What... you're sticking up for some mud-grabber?" As the cruel guard put his mask back on.

"I don't care what happens to _him_, and I don't care what happens to _you_ either if you keep pushing them too hard. But I _do_ care what happens to _my_ ass if the boss saw one of my underlings with out his mask. _Got it_?"

"Loud and_ clear_." The freak raised his baton towards Bolin again.

"N-no! No please!" Bolin did not have time to back away as he crumpled to the floor, writhing in pain. His mouth was open but nothing came out but a high pitched whine. Even when the pain stopped his body jerked with a residual charge... and his body felt on fire. He could only hold consciousness for a few more seconds before everything darkened to black nothingness.

The fast-talker looked back at the rookie who was trembling, "I guess you haven't seen what happens when you play with that toy on your belt, huh? It sends a signal to the collars, it can shut off their bending but it also can punish if you encounter difficult ones." The guard looked back at the crumpled heap. Bolin hadn't moved at all.

"He's had it... doubt he's even alive now." The fast-talking guard tsked. "You wasted another one, you freak." And he turned to leave.

"What's going to happen... to the body?" The rookie's voice sounded absolutely shaken and his frame was still trembling.

"Eh?" The talkative one paused, "Someone'll come along and take him to the area where we keep the girls to work and they'll put him into the ground someplace... I don't know." he shrugged. "_I_ don't want to touch it though." he added grossed out. "Lets go.. I think it might be smelling." And the guard had to forcefully push the rookie down the path to the guard towers.

0000000000000000000000000000

Korra stumbled along the trail she was sent on, her bare feet picking up small rocks with each step. It was getting darker in the caves as she walked on until she saw another trail and a light up ahead. When her vision adjust again, it wasn't exactly a trail but more tracks that led out of a pit of darkness to the right and into the place of light ahead.

A cold draft came out of the darkness and she shivered. Heeding the warning of the wind, she kept going straight towards the light.

A warning... Korra's thoughts went back to her earlier warning that she deemed to be from her past lives. The images in her head became a little clearer as she recounted them. Four in all, ripples of water, a dark colored crystal that seemed to be vibrating on a table, a red flag of a mountain on fire, and all of them swirled into an incinerating blaze that had burned her mind. Not only that but her body was not hers for a moment in time. She'd been lucky her outburst was brushed off.

It was no coincidence that she felt the urge to deal with this problem, Korra felt she was being guided into this. To save these people and not just Bolin-

"Hi!" A high pitched voice echoed on Korra's inner thoughts. "Over here!"

"Huh?" Korra blinked to realize she had made it to the end of the trail... it was a small cavern with lights strung about and a well with water being pumped from it into a narrow wooden channel, not even a half a foot deep, which women sat on their knees along the flow with their hands in the water. On the other side, women were pouring rocks into the water, which the women with their hands in the water would feel over and disintegrate into fine sand... leaving behind precious stones and metals that are of value to be placed in carts on the other side.

In the middle of the line, a couple of women appeared to be waving at her. Both dressed in oversized-poncho shirts and pants, a grey haired woman and a younger woman who looked to be ten years older than Korra and it was her who had called to her.

"Hello, you must be Korra," The older woman bowed from her seated position when Korra approached. " Oda is my husband, I am Sheishen, and my daughter is Ola. Please sit with us so we can show you what you need to do." The woman gestured to a spot in between her and her daughter.

The woman sounded so casual, like someone inviting one over for a cup of tea, it unnerved Korra just a bit. However, she reluctantly sat between them on her knees, "What exactly is going on around here? Why are you doing this? Why are they making you do this?" she asked loudly.

"Who else _will_, dearie?" An elderly woman near the front answered. "If it is not us.. then it will be _another_ poor soul..."

"What else can we do?"

"It's all I've ever known."

Answers chimed in down the line, each making Korra more infuriated than the last. How could the proud Earthbenders be so broken, so enslaved?

"I've grown up doing this, I don't remember doing anything else." Ola spoke to Korra.

"What do you mean? How long have you been here?" Korra asked and her heart clenched up.

"Since I was very little." Ola answered simply. Korra's eyes widened and in her gut she realized just how long this organized kidnapping had been going on.

"Okay ladies, back to work," the eldest of the bunch laughed and simultaneously dunked their hands into the water.

Korra slipped her hands into the water as well, her eyes closing as she felt relief to be touching water again.

"Watch me, Korra." Ola smiled to her and picked up a rock underwater. Cupping it in her hands, she seemed to be carefully crushing the rock little by little, letting the dust and sand float away with the river to leave behind a sliver of red stone in her hand. Her three fingered hand. Korra bit her lip and could not imagine how painful it must have been to loose even one finger.

Looking over at Sheishen, Korra also realized that the woman only had one arm! Quickly looking down the line, it seemed the other ladies had their appendages intact. She turned her attention back to Ola, "What happened to your hand?"

Ola's expression turned solemn for a moment.

"I mean if you don't want to talk about I understand." Korra feared she might have offended her.

"No, it's okay... it was just an accident." That's all Ola would say about it.

Korra placed her hand on the woman's shoulder. This only furthered her resolve to set these people free, they couldn't live like this. Sure they've survived and made the best of things but there is a difference between being a slave and being free.

A tell tale crunch and Ola suddenly dunked Korra's hands back in the water, "_Guard_!" she whispered loudly and the room went silent except for the sound of rushing water.

Korra glanced over. It was a guard alright, but the man was hauling something... the closer he got she coudl see it was actually someone...

"Oh no..." Ola whispered. "Not him... he can't be dead... Korra I'm so sorry." She had better vision in the dark than Korra, but her words made the Avatar's heart stop beating.

No. Not everything she's done to get here, to get to him...

It _can't_ be over now...

The guard entered the lit chamber dragging the limp and lifeless body of Bolin... it was pale with a large burn spreading from his neck over the once visible veins.

A tear unwillingly streamed down Korra's cheek.

* * *

End chapter 10

Sorry it's been a while, been working on other projects, but I haven't given up. By not giving up I mean I still have every intention of continuing.

Comments and advice are very much appreciated as I am always trying to improve!

Til next chapter... sorry to leave you with this tearjerker..


	11. Light of Hope

Chapter 11!

LOK!

#49

Enjoy!

* * *

_Bolin... no..._

Korra's mouth slowly parted as her breath caught in her throat. Hot tears streamed down her throat, soaking her shirt... his shirt...

The guard dropped the body onto the ground, which fell with a heavy thump, and left just as quickly as he came. The women were very much left alone to themselves most of the time with a patrol that only came around with a new cart of rocks. Or when someone had died...

When the guard was out of sight, everyone stopped what they were doing and scrambled from their seated positions over to Bolin. Touching his face and his arms, some were crying... Death was always painful...

"I'm so sorry Korra..." Ola placed her hand on Korra's shoulder comfortingly. "It happens sometimes..."

Korra's frame started shaking and soon she was shaking her head, "No..." and she crawled over to Bolin's body. She placed his head on her lap. "No... don't be dead... please don't be dead..." She hunched over and her tears dropped on his bare chest. She was sobbing now, she could not imagine a world with out his laughter and smile. And Mako... oh god, how was she going to face him after she'd failed utterly to save his brother?

Her forehead landed on Bolin's cold chest with a _thunk_ as she could not hold herself up anymore; just how much her life had changed because of his friendship. She needed him to be alive, to tell her things were going to be okay, to be that voice of caution, and confidence. Tears pooled on his chest... glowing with her uncontrolled will and then slowly slid off when his chest rose... he was breathing! Barely, but it was a breath! Gasping, she put her ear to his skin. His heartbeat was so faint... but she could hear it!

Not wasting a second, Korra stuck her hand out and summoned the water from the canal to her hand. It came to her call as a stream of liquid flowed to her palm and settled in a perfect oval which she pressed to his chest.

The women gasped and cried out as the witnessed her power, they could not believe it that the guards would make such a mistake by bringing on a Waterbender... Though the three eldest silently watched with knowing eyes.

The water glowed with low light and seeped into his skin... willing his life force to grow stronger and repairing the damage done to him... it would take several moments. Sweat beaded Korra's forehead as she worked harder than ever before to save him. He was so close to death that she had to pull him from the grim reaper's cold grip...

Sheishen turned when she heard a cart rolling down the tracks, "Hide her, girls!" She ordered and the ladies snapped out of their stupor to form a wall with their bodies, blocking Korra and Bolin from anyone's sight.

A cart, with one man and two guards approached.

"Why are you not working?" One of the guards asked sternly.

"We are mourning our dead, Sir..." the eldest woman, Yun, spoke for them. "He was just brought to us.."

"Very well..." The guard responded with an accepted nod, the answer was reasonable and they could see the dead man's face over the ladies heads. The cart was dropped off without incident, though the guards still looked back at the group uneasily. The girls were occasionally glancing back at them nervously and that was slightly suspicious. "Why are they looking at us like that?"

"We always fear and respect those above us." Yun responded with practiced grace and nerves of steel.

That too was a believable answer. "Fair enough." The guards left with the man and the cart.

A collective sigh was let out as their figures disappeared into the dark...

Then... Bolin slowly opened his eyes... "Unh..." he groaned out as he blinked several times. His vision could make out Korra and several women surrounding him with worried faces. Was he alive? Or was Korra dead too?

"Please tell me this is heaven... because there is no way in hell I could be surrounded by this many beautiful ladies..."

The women laughed and Korra smiled wide. He was back. The water pulsed through his body... healing the damage done by constant abuse and torment, mending torn muscles and soothing aches in his hands and feet. His color was coming back and the veins were fading away. She also found a strange foreign chemical in his bloodstream, and rid him of it... Washing him clean from the inside of the stain of this horrible place.

After several more moments, Korra's healing glow seemed to dissipate and the excess water splashed onto her friend's bare chest.

Startled, Bolin looked up at Korra, blushing because of the women but mostly because his head rested on her lap, "Hey... were you_ crying_?"

Korra wiped her face, "No... just had dirt in my eyes.." she lied, but Bolin knew. Suddenly, she smacked him in the head. "Don't scare me like that again!"

Bolin's face cringed then softened as he held his head. Pain, yep, he was definitely alive. He'd never known her to get scared, but... that she would worry over him like that gave him some comfort, "Sorry..." he smiled sheepishly. "I wont, I promise."

Their attention was then grabbed by Yun's approach, the group of women parted to let her pass, "I know who you are... _Avatar._"

This caused hushed whispers to break out and gasps of surprise. Korra looked proud, though not her usual proud smile, not denying who the woman accused her of being.

The elder hushed them and continued, "You must never reveal yourself to the guards, unless you want us all to suffer what this young man has gone through... and your own death."

Korra looked up at Yun, her face serious, "I don't intend for any of you to be harmed. I'm going to save you all."

"You give us a false hope, dearie..." The elder sighed. "You are not the first to try to escape... nor will I doubt you be the last.."

"But none of them are the Avatar." Korra set Bolin aside and stood up, a thumb to her chest. "I don't carry false hopes."

"No one has defeated the Warden," The second eldest chimed in. "And we cannot bend outside of this room..."

"I'll handle the Warden when the time comes." Korra spoke with determination.

"It's a fool's errand," another older woman, Runi, spoke. "It's pointless. You should just accept this existence."

Fool's errand? Korra frowned, "You may think it's not going to work, but you don't know me. I will get you to the surface, I promise. You will be shackled no more."

Runi sneered, "Like I said..._ pointless_!"

Yun's face was still and void of any surprise.. or gratitude as she took in the Avatar's words, "_Dearie_... we're tired of being lifted up and torn back down. Just leave us to live in peace.." And she tenderly sat down to get back to work and the others soon quickly followed her example.

Korra was left standing, infuriated by their refusal to believe in hope. Not even the label of Avatar could raise their spirits... She looked back to Bolin.

"You tried. But you'll show them soon enough." He commented as he sat up, brushing the water from his chest.

Korra leaned over to help him and paused... there was still some of that chemical she pulled from him in the healing water. Suddenly, the light bulb flickered on in her head. With the water on her hands she touched the nearest woman, Ola and the water quickly absorbed into her skin .

"Hey!" The woman protested the invasion by the water but Korra had a tight grip on her.

It was in her too. Within the seconds she yanked the chemical out from her blood stream, pulling out a dark, metalic liquid into the water. Ola blinked at the stuff and felt a little woozy, "My word, what is _that_?!"

"It's the stuff I pulled from Bolin, but you have so much more of it." Korra spoke as she tossed the water at the wall, the dark stuff stuck to the wall and seeped into the rock like it was a sponge. "I bet it's in all of you too. I can also bet it's what's been making you so _complacent_."

Ola looked shocked that that stuff was inside of her it looked so alien. The attention of the other women was caught as well.

"_Ugh_ that's filthy!"

"Do me next!" One woman got up and sat in front of Korra.

Bolin looked up at her from where he sat, "Good job Korra." He smiled.

"This is just step one..." Korra smiled back and then turned determined. "Still gotta figure out how to destroy these collars without killing us."

* * *

End Chapter 11

Comments and advice are very much appreciated as I am always trying to improve!

Things are looking up for our heroes!

Til next chapter!


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